Exemplary embodiments relate generally to Internet protocol (IP) networks, and more particularly, to methods, systems and computer program products for managing access resources in an IP network.
IP networks with quality of service (QoS) have the capability of handling traffic in a differentiated manner so that the service providers (SPs) can offer different levels of QoS. This means that the customer user is assured by the SP that from each access site, the user can send information packets at specified rates with certain bursting characteristics and delivery qualities relating to latency, jitter, packet loss, etc.
One of the problems for the SP is to be able to clearly define the services to be offered with their QoS characteristics and present them in service order (SO) language defining the services, packages and so on. This language must then be translated into the parameters and values that can drive the logic and controls of an operation support system (OSS) provisioning system. The OSS provisioning system must be aware of the resources the SP has available to provide these services, and be able to account for these resources as customers grow, change or delete their services. All of this data must be constantly updated to the network that supports the service and provides the resources being managed.
As a customer transmits packets of data (containing for e.g., data, voice, and video information) into the network, each router must know exactly how to police the incoming traffic, how to place packets into QoS queues, how to handle packets that are “out of contract” (i.e., above contractually assured traffic limits), how to route the packets, and how to assure that there is no cross-talk between users (i.e., that no users can listen in on data being transmitted for another customer.
Currently, managing the resources that provide access to an IP network with QoS is largely a time consuming and manual process. It would be desirable to be able to provide an automated method for allocating resources to a customer service in an IP network with QoS. In addition, it would be desirable to manage these resources throughout the life of the service as it changes over time.